Speed cameras issued thousands of bogus tickets in Long Island

Authorities are refunding $2.4 million in traffic-citation fines.

Nassau County of New York is forgiving thousands of speeding tickets issued this summer from malfunctioning speed cameras, totaling about $2.4 million in fines.

The Long Island county executive, Edward Mangano, said cameras from Arizona-based American Traffic Solutions near six schools were unreliable and issued tickets even when school was not in session. Traffic speeds are reduced dramatically during school hours.

"I don't have a high confidence level that the cameras were operating at statutory levels," Mangano told Newsday Friday. "So we are declaring amnesty with all tickets issued this summer."

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People who have already paid the $80 ticket fine will receive a refund and all 30,000-plus tickets will be dismissed, Mangano said.

The development highlights that automated traffic ticketing isn't always up to speed.

Last month, Ars reported that at least 13,000 Chicago motorists had been cited with undeserved tickets thanks to malfunctioning red-light cameras. A Chicago Tribunereport found that the $100 fines were a result of "faulty equipment, human tinkering or both."

David Kravets / The senior editor for Ars Technica. Founder of TYDN fake news site. Technologist. Political scientist. Humorist. Dad of two boys. Been doing journalism for so long I remember manual typewriters with real paper.